Double Edged Sword
by Omni-Obiter
Summary: Sakura wants to grow up and out of the role of the only girl in Team 7, and she thinks Tenten can help her. Tenten's been slowly withdrawing from her team mates and friends. Can some training take the two women to where they ought to be? SakuTen Challenge
1. Chapter 1

**-Disclaimer: Naruto is not owned by me. I do not profit from it either. Damn.**

**Hello all. This is a story for a challenge put out by DustBunny3 some time ago. The criteria were as follows; **

01) It has to be at least five hundred words, but that's the only limit. If you want to write a one-shot, that's cool. If you want to write an epic, go to town.

02) Rating and secondary genre are up to you. If you have an idea to turn it into a sci-fi thriller, be my guest. If romance is all you need for it, okay.

03) The basic elements have to be the same. (ei: Sakura has to approach Tenten for help training, Tenten has to initially decline but then give in and Sakura has to initiate the first kiss.) All the vague little details, however, you can have fun with. For example, how long Tenten takes to give in to Sakura's request and how she reacts to the first kiss. If you want her to freak out the first time, go ahead. If you want her to be so turned on that she jumps Sakura then and there, that's fine too. It can be from Sakura's perspective if you prefer, or anyone else's.

04) How far you delve into the relationship is up to you. Write to the first kiss, a first date, moving in, telling friends, whatever.

05) If you take up the challenge, please let me know. I'd like to read what comes of it.

**I was taken with the idea, so here is my submission. Please don't be afraid to tell me what you think. Also, keep the challenge alive! If the idea grabs your attention, then take it up. **

**Anyway, enough chatter, here it is. Updates every three days, with about five parts by my count. Enjoy!**

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Sakura was, by now, fairly confident in her abilities as a medic-nin. From minor contusions to shattered bones and internal bleeding, she could heal them all. These were all related, maladies of a physical nature and their healing techniques were useful on the field, which in turn made Sakura useful when she used them. The monstrous strength method of her mentor meant that she had offensive ability as well, and her natural intelligence resulted in her being able to manipulate most situations to her advantage. She could have been happy with all this. She should have been happy to know that within a few years her training would be complete. Sakura Haruno would be a successful Kunoichi, ninja of the leaf village. One of the giants, respected for her knowledge and wisdom if not her strength.

It had taken others to realize her potential before. She had little confidence as a child, and only a little more as an adolescent. Now though, after all that had happened, her graduation, promotion, her team mates leaping from strength to strength, it was her turn to grasp herself and what it was that she desired.

She sneered at the thought of Sasuke's quest for power. It had taken years of Naruto's presence to finally realize that power truly lay in the strength gathered from love and affection for others. He was her brother in arms, and she found herself laughing, smiling now that he was back. She found herself slightly poorer too, as she somehow always managed to get stuck with the bill for who knows how many bowls of ramen. Sasuke had been her team mate, too. She couldn't hate him, but she did pity him. The puppy love of her adolescence dissipated soon after he left the village, and soon she only came to worry about him and his health, rather than pinning for something that just wasn't available. That boy was having a love affair with something far removed from anything she could compete with. And she was okay with that. Sure he was cute, gorgeous she had remembered thinking at some point, but that didn't warrant her love, she had realized.

She was better than that, and that was all she needed to know. The next step was self improvement. People had in the past come to her, only to stumble across something that was of worth unexpectedly, and helped her appreciate it. Now she would highlight these things of worth, so that rather than stumble over them, people would see them a mile off, and know her that bit more, acknowledge her. This was what she desired now.

Being an only child, Sakura was doted on by her parents. They invited her over every other Sunday for the traditional family dinner and she found herself savoring that experience too, like her impromptu lunches with Naruto. Sakura Haruno was a family woman, she found out, and a dependable friend. These little tidbits of information she gathered helped her piece it all together.

One particular Sunday as she was ushered inside by her beaming mother, Sakura felt the back of her neck prickle, as if someone was watching. She cast a glance over her shoulder on the off chance that it was a threat. What she saw was far from it. A downcast girl turned away from the scene of a happy family, and continued to walk down the road, her sandals squelching in the mud. On a whim Sakura almost called out to her. She almost extended her hand into the steady rain that fell just outside the perimeter of the tiny awning that protected the doorstep of her childhood home. She didn't however, considering that the last thing that the woman would want was sympathy, pity. The dinned passed as it usually did. Her mother was a wonderful cook and never failed to sate Sakura with her simple, hearty food. Each member of the little family recounted the stories of the day and basked in the simple contentment that they felt. Sakura Haruno was a lucky girl, she conceded.

And so Sakura had a list. She was a good ninja, a good daughter and a good friend. She was lucky to be all these things and reap the rewards from them. That evening though, as she lay sprawled out on the couch in her tiny living room listening to the rain beat down on the roof, she realized she needed more. She wasn't sure what it was, but her ambition wouldn't allow her to simply sit on her laurels. It seemed that Sakura Haruno wasn't the kind of woman to settle for her lot in life.

Soon she was working harder than ever, reading through medical texts on antidotes, bandaging and psychology. Her chakra control was near masterful. She sparred with Naruto as often as she could, and asked for guidance from her former Sensei, when he wasn't busy with a new bunch of Genin. It wasn't enough to be good, she decided. It was with this in mind that she wandered down one of the main streets on a busy market day. With her head in the clouds it was hardly surprising that Sakura wasn't paying much attention to where she was walking. If she had ambled into a villager then she surely would have ended up face first in watermelon or something. Thankfully though the person she very nearly collided with darted to the side of her, avoiding tripping over her feet. A light tap on the shoulder snapped her out of her daze, and she turned to face the person who had so skillfully avoided her. Not that she had noticed that.

A scowling Tenten was a veritably scary Tenten.

"Haruno, be more careful would you?"

When Sakura looked at her in obvious confusion, Tenten sighed.

"You nearly ran into me. Just try to look where you're going." She finished, obviously exasperated.

Then she was gone, quite suddenly blending into the throng of people Sakura had barely noticed until now. That was when she noticed just what it was that she needed.

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**The next one will be up on Friday. Drop me a line if you are so inclined. Thanks for your time!**

**Omnixx.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Here it is, the second installment, and on Friday too. At least it's Friday here, thank goodness!**

**This story is expanding a lot more than I'd envisioned, but that's more for you to enjoy, no? The chapters are annoyingly short I'm sure, but I'm sticking to this form of delivery. Please, some feedback? I was a little put out at the response, but then again it is Naruto Yuri. Not exactly the biggest hitter in the game, so to speak.**

**My thanks to those who put the story on Alert, and for those who made this story a favourite though I don't really have any idea why. It's only an infant story, flailing around on the playroom floor of fanfiction. **

**Anywho, onwards. The next update is promised for Monday. Enjoy a little look at Tenten's character;**

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Tenten sighed as she dumped her grocery bags on the counter top.

"That Haruno girl is such an airhead."

She groaned, leaning heavily on the edge of the kitchen bench, a hand rubbing over her face and up through her hair. She ached all over from yesterdays training. Her abdomen was particularly sore after receiving a chakra loaded palm strike from her training partner.

He was serious, always so serious, but she knew he'd never really hurt her that badly. Even Neji Huuga needed someone to train with. Lee was training with Gai more often than not, and it was to be expected as the man was his mentor. He wasn't their sensei anymore though, and she and Neji took up less and less of his time. If she saw him nowadays it was briefly, usually waving her off on a mission, as he was want to do with his students, hoping to see them return, too. Her former sensei was a kind man, and her team mates were strong, capable ninja. Tenten sighed again, fumbling through the brown paper bags on the counter to find what she needed.

Before long all that could be heard in the apartment was the soft 'thock' of vegetables being sliced up on a wooden chopping board. The Bok Choy never saw it coming. It didn't take long at all for the weapons mistress to finish cutting up what she needed for short soup. After an hour or so of pottering about in her kitchenette, she sat down to enjoy her dinner. It was warm, and soothed her. Outside rain started to patter on the roof. Silence and the tapping of raindrops echoed off the walls, and Tenten felt solitude drape over her like a cloak. It had been raining a lot lately. It was almost as if the weather was reflecting the loneliness she felt, how she always sensed that something was missing. She had woken up this morning, feeling sleep deprived. Opening the fridge she found that she was out of most perishables, and desperately needed to restock. Walking down the busy street she saw smiling friends, doting lovers, parents and children, reminding her of what she did not have.

It was only the other day that she remembered seeing yet another family curling up into the comfort of one another, in a shared home, over a shared meal. She knew Sakura wasn't really an airhead, as much as she knew the look in the other Kunoichi's eyes as soon as she'd seen it. They seemed to melt with pity. She had turned away as casually as she could, as if she only happened to glance that way. She was glad that it was raining, so she could pretend that she wasn't crying. When she realized there was anyone around that she could fool, she only cried harder. The other woman was gifted, and surrounded by those wonderful things. 'I'm not hard done by though,' Tenten told herself. 'I've a roof over my head, money in my pocket and comrades when I need them.' She couldn't help but sigh once more, tears pricking her eyes. Rubbing at her face, she felt the coarse skin scratch at the softer skin of her visage.

Her hands were rough and calloused, and she had the dying breaths of so many stored in her mind. Death flew from her finger tips with such precision that it was scary to look in the mirror sometimes, and realize that she was that same person, that reaper. The warmth and soft pulsation that a living body gave off slipped away under the touch of so many extensions of her, shredding that life, cutting it to pieces.

Sakura was different to her. Her touch brought healing, new life, a second chance. To start again, how Tenten wanted her second chance. But she knew it wasn't possible. Rivulets of water tracked down the glass of her windowpanes.

"Mother, Father,"

She let the words taper off and ring in the muffled silence. What she wouldn't give, but it wouldn't do to dwell.

She rose swiftly, taking her bowl over to the sink, systematically washing it and placing on the rack to dry. Walking over to the book shelf in her adjoining dining room she let her eyes flick over the spines of the texts. Selecting a work on the perfection of defensive stances, she slid it out from between its fellows and took it to the futon that stood curtained off from the rest of the apartment. Flicking her lamp on Tenten tossed the book on her bed, and her clothes followed closely behind as she made her way to the only room in the little flat with a door that adjoined her bedroom. After a quick scalding shower she dried off and was soon tossing her dirty clothes in a hamper and slipping a simple shirt over her head. Snuggling beneath the covers and reading under the soft glow of her lamp whilst listening to the sound of rain overhead made Tenten feel somewhat content. And it was like this that she fell asleep, the book rolling from her grip and springing from her fingertips to the floor, a dream of deflecting that painful palm strike playing out in her head.

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**Let me know what you think. Until next time, dear readers.**

**OmniXx.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello once more, dear readers. Here's the third installment of Double Edged Sword. Again, the fic has ballooned out as I've continued to write, but I don't think it's detrimental to the story. Rather, I think it's necessary that I elaborate and expand on the foundation I've laid. **

**My thanks again to Dustbunny3 for issuing the challenge. It's been fun to explore these characters and the relationship between them. I'm working on separate pairing fics for both Tenten and Sakura, so this is really helping with my character exploration and portrayal. Feedback would make it even more helpful, so people can tell me where I'm going wrong, but perhaps that's asking too much? Naw, either way I'm going to continue posting. **

**Thank you for the alert(s) this time 'round. **

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Sunlight lanced in though her windows and Sakura groaned, flinching into consciousness. Those first few moments when she was aware of only the fluttering of her own eyelids letting in light intermittently were when Sakura felt new, almost as if she had been born again. Then it all came back to hit her. A crick in her neck she must've gotten whilst sleeping, the twinge of back pain that had developed from her poor posture during those late night paper work dashes. Puffing a breath out quickly in frustration she kicked the blankets off and rocked back slightly to spring off her hands, arching over the edge of the bed until her feet hit the floor. She smiled victoriously, flashing a trademark V sign to the empty room, giggling to herself. No use in dwelling on aches when she had so much to do today she decided.

Breakfast was the first order of the day. Sakura burnt her thumb on the stove element as she cooked and it stung and throbbed painfully as she ate her scramble eggs and tried not to think about it. She refused to heal it on principle; her chakra belonged to the patients of the day. After clipping her belt on and checking for all her scrolls and the rarely used kunai and shuriken (she found herself swiping a thumb wistfully along the blades as she checked for their presence), she left the house through the window, dashing across rooftops to work. She was greeted at the door by the sterile scent of a recently cleaned reception area, and a half full waiting room. The receptionist waved at her absently, looking rather frazzled as she leafed through the suspended files in one of the massive filing cabinets, a particular file jammed between her shoulder and her cheek to keep it in place.

Since she wasn't a medic-nin yet, she had to report to Tsudane when she came in. Cautiously she knocked on the door of her Sensei's office. Hearing a muffled yelp she sighed and slumped down into a chair beside the door to wait. It would be a folly to say the least to walk into Tsudane's office when the door wasn't opened for you. If you were naïve enough to think that she wouldn't mind, that would be your first mistake. Your second would be to assume that all that went on behind those doors was paperwork and heavy drinking. And if you were to make the first and then the second, what you would come across would be punishment enough. Sakura shuddered at the mere thought of those memories she tried so hard to repress.

A few minutes later the door opened Shizune meekly walked out, blushing furiously. It was sweet in a way, Sakura thought, that they had found each other, but she wouldn't wish the image of a sensei in a passionate embrace on any student. It was just out of context. She looked up when she heard the fifth Hokage clear her throat. She wasn't surprised to see that Tsudane was blushing too. Really, the whole thing was very cute. Thankfully she was handed her clipboard for the day at the door, so that she didn't have to go into the office and endure her imaginations various creative re-enactments. She smiled a soft smile at her Sensei and then left to make her rounds, hearing the older woman shuffle back into her office with some reassembled dignity.

Sakura enjoyed this part of the day. She spoke to the patients who couldn't speak back, telling them about news in the village and sometimes refilling the vases by their beds with flowers. Most of the able residents would want to and could talk about something or other, or ask her for a favour regarding hospital food or visiting hours and she'd always see what she could do. Smiling as she left the last patient to enjoy a juice she'd gotten from the kitchens, her mind immediately went to her list of things to do. She was walking back towards Tsudane's office when she felt a tap on her shoulder. Turning she saw a fellow intern smiling familiarly at her,

"Sakura, the Hokage has requested your presence at a blood transfusion in operation theatre 4A."

Smiling back she nodded,

"Ok, thanks Takumi."

The young man dipped his head, and continued on down the hall as Sakura turned about, heading for the wing where the operation theaters were.

With great difficulty she forced herself not to gasp as the blood rippled inside the chakra bubble Tsudane had formed around it. It was strange to see something that usually only leaked from wounds controlled so precisely. Slowly, carefully her sensei eased the blood inside the unconscious patient, a burns victim. It transfused through the skin by way of chakra manipulation and Sakura couldn't help but feel a little awed. There were a fair few things she was allowed to treat, and apparently this would soon be on the list of can dos. It seemed that way with everything Tsudane showed her. Soon she'd be expected to do it on a regular basis. She knew the theory, and she was confident in her ability. One thing she was sure to never rely on were the circumstances. It had started with bruises, minor cuts and abrasions. Now she was re-setting bones and knitting skin back together over gaping wounds. That was the second part of her day. After she had witnessed the entirety of the transfusion, she made her way to her small treatment room just off the waiting room. Patients with broken bones and stomach aches and arthritis paraded through the small room into the afternoon. Sakura performed treatments, referred patients to specialists, asked for help from senior medic-nins and sent people off to the herbalists. Then it was time to clock off and head home, for most of the nin on the day shift anyway. She passed many a groaning student on the way in to begin the night shift, and she didn't envy them.

Finally it was time to check off the last thing on her list. She honestly wasn't sure where to start searching for who she needed to speak to. Luckily for her though, a rather exuberant Lee came racing to her side as she walked down the main street, a toothy grin on his face.

"Sakura-san! Would you care to join me for an evening snack that will revitalize and refresh you?!"

The pink haired woman had to stop herself from gaping at his enthusiasm and rubbed at the back of her head sheepishly,

"Ah, I'm sorry but I can't right now Lee. I don't suppose you could tell me where Tenten is, could you? I need to ask her something."

He looked slightly deflated as he easily offered up the information she desired, but not before extricating a rain check from her. Soon she was trundling down the road, a little uncertain of what she was about to do. That day in the market place, Tenten had seemed genuinely irritated with her, but she hoped that didn't reflect her general opinion of her. Now as her fist hovered inches from the hardwood of Tenten's front door, Sakura found herself doubting her resolve. Quite suddenly that wasn't a problem, as the door swung away from her fist into the apartment. Tenten stood on the threshold, her hip cocked and her arms crossed over her chest.

"Can I help you?"

her tone was fairly plain, despite the fact that her body language was standoffish, and Sakura spoke plainly in return.

"Yes, I'd like that actually."

This resulted in a raised eyebrow which Sakura took as a cue to explain herself.

"I was wondering if you'd be willing to train me, Tenten?"

Sakura let herself relax upon seeing the look of contemplation that Tenten was sporting, only to tense up again after hearing her reply.

"I can't say that I am, sorry Sakura."

"But, why not?" She found herself blurting out indignantly.

"I don't see what you could possibly hope to learn from _me_." Tenten replied indifferently.

The other girl spluttered a bit, trying to find an answer that would prove her wrong.

"As far as I know," Sakura said, recovering from her lapse of logical thought, "you're the only weapons mistress around here."

The brown haired girl raised that persistent eyebrow once more,

"And?"

"And I'd like to learn from you. Heaven knows it's been too long since I've done weapons training, and I'd like to get to know you better?"

Tenten tensed.

"So that's what this is about."

She felt her hackles rise.

"Don't think too hard into what you saw, Sakura."

Her voice was full of venom, and Sakura was afraid she'd spit at her feet at any moment. That Sunday a couple of months ago flashed through her mind.

"That's not it at all!" She waved her hands in front of her, trying to diffuse the tension that had drawn the air around them as tight as bow string.

"I just thought we'd have things in common and I'd be able to learn from you at the same time, I swear it!" she insisted.

"I don't want your pity, Sakura. Please, just leave."

Desperately the pink haired kunoichi tried to grasp the right thing to say, but she kept drawing blanks. Sighing heavily Sakura looked up to see Tenten turning away from her, her eyes glistening slightly. She bit her lip, but began to walk away anyway. Her heart really went out to the older girl, who always seemed so cheerful. Something had to be the matter, and Sakura only wanted to help and be helped.

That night as she lay on top of her sheets she found herself thinking of a way she could get Tenten to reconsider. All she wanted to do was to reach out. Be it her with her hand or a weapon as an extension of herself. She was ready to become something much more than medic-nin, a good daughter, a good friend.

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**And there you have it. Anyone a fan of Bill Hicks? He helps me so much with my writing. I only wish I could inject the same humour into it as is present in his stand up routines. Fucking hilarious guy. **

**I woke up at ****3am**** this morning for no particular reason, and have been unable to get back to sleep. So I could have posted earlier, but since no one seems to be hanging out for it I didn't bother. Guess that's the downside of posting the parameters of the challenge with the first chapter, everyone already knows what's going to happen.**

**Anyway, thank you for your time. Expect the next update on Thursday.**

**OmniXx.**


	4. Chapter 4

**I'm sorry this is late! My internet stopped working for a spell, and then I was out of the house for a day or so. Here's the update, short I know, but it's up at least. Thank you for the alerts and favourites and also the three reviews, all from the same reader, heh. Thank you **JuugosGrrrl15**, and I will fix up the spelling as soon as I'm able.  
**

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She felt so ashamed. Wiping desperately at her eyes, she slid her back down the wall and hit her head against her knees. As she sat there, she told herself that she had been rude and the best thing to do would be to go and find Sakura and apologise. She couldn't bring herself to chase after her though. While she could admit she was wrong, she wanted to admit it to the other girl in a less public place. The situation could easily become embarrassing and Tenten wanted to maintain a little dignity after this particular incident. Deciding that she would find the other Kunoichi in the morning, Tenten stood up and went to take a shower. She'd give the girl the benefit of the doubt and train her as best she could, but if she tried to force the friendship thing she'd just play it down. That was for the best. Tenten's pride wouldn't allow someone to form a friendship with her out of pity.

Sleep was elusive until the wee small hours of the morning. Tenten was grateful when it hit her. In the morning the sunlight crept over her gradually, and she woke enveloped by a wonderful sleepy haze. A leisurely stretch sent pleasure rippling through her muscles, and she flopped back down onto the bed, relaxed. Breakfast was a simple meal of bread and fruit which disappeared quickly. She cleaned up afterwards and couldn't quite help herself when she saw that her bookcase was in disarray. Eagerly she leapt from one chore to next, to the point where she had enough firewood for the next two winters, dare she sully the pristine condition of the floor before the fireplace with soot. Finally she admitted she was procrastinating, just a little. It was a little past midday and by her guess Sakura would be on her lunch break soon. What better time than that to take her aside and apologise in private?

In no apparent rush Tenten made her way across town towards the hospital. Sure enough as she approached she spied Sakura walking out of the front door, an arm slung around Naruto. She sighed, that would make things a little more difficult. There'd be no backing down now though, no matter what.

"Sakura!"

She exclaimed, leaping from the roof of a nearby house, landing neatly,

"May I speak with you for a moment?"

Of course the other girl looked shocked, but she nodded nonetheless, turning to her exuberant friend to speak a few choice words. Naruto nodded sharply and waved to both young women before sauntering off. Soon an awkward silence had descended over them both, and Tenten searched for something to say. She figured that honesty was, as usual, the best policy.

"I wanted to apologise. I jumped to conclusions yesterday. That subject's just a bit touchy."

The other girl nodded, and smiled softly. Tenten felt encouraged and continued on,

"And I was wondering if you'd still consider training with me?"

Sakura grinned,

"Of course!"

Tenten couldn't help it, she smiled back.

"Great! Um, when did you want to start?"

"Erm, how about tomorrow, at dawn? If you're not busy."

Tenten shook her head,

"Nope. Dawn tomorrow it is."

She turned about quickly, glad that she had done it. The muscles in her legs tensed and she was about to leap back onto the roof, but a question stopped her.

"Wait! Should I bring anything?"

"Just your kunai, shuriken and the right attitude."

She replied seriously, before turning a little, to toss the other girl a slight smile. This time she made good her escape, and flitted across the rooftops of Konoha to her own. The flat roof was fenced off, and she often trained up there. She decided that some training would be the best thing to center her, so she began to go through some forms. Tenten cut a fine figure silhouetted against the setting sun, her body rigid yet supple and always deadly.

A few hours later she was illuminated by the soft light of paper lanterns. Shadows licked across her features, alternating with flickers of light. A sheen of sweat had formed over her body, and her clothes were beginning to stick to her. To finish her impromptu training session she flicked out a combination of kicks. They whirled from the inside of her stance, out, from the outside of her stance, in, all in great arcs. Finally her leg swung down in a powerful axe kick and Tenten's heel bit into the concrete of the roof, kicking up powder and shards of cement. A controlled breath was released and she slowly came to, letting herself relax a bit.

Allowing herself to wince slightly from the pain in her foot, she walked down a short flight of stairs into her apartment. That was something she really enjoyed, having a place of her own. It had taken her a lot of high ranked missions to be able to afford the place, but it was well worth it. Scalding water cleaned the sweat and grime from her skin which she scrubbed at vigorously. Dinner was simple, and she went straight to sleep after cleaning her teeth, half dreading waking up.

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**Tada. Next update on Thursday I'm hoping. I should be able to stick to it. Until then, dear readers!**

**OmniXx.  
**


	5. Chapter 5

**This is even smaller than the other chapters but it's building up to something, I promise. **

**Bit bummed about the lack of feedback, but it's the way it goes I guess. Hope you enjoy this one!**

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It was an unexpected but welcome turn of events. She had been about to go grab some lunch with Naruto from the Ramen stand when Tenten had appeared. It was easy enough to surmise that Tenten had a fierce sense of pride, and that was why Sakura was so amazed when the other girl apologized. She imagined that anyone else in that situation would have been more than a little shame-faced, but not Tenten. Her voice was strong and unwavering as she stated the facts. Sakura felt a spark of admiration in her chest, and couldn't help but smile knowing that it must be difficult for the other girl. That's what made it even more worthwhile.

They had parted ways with plans for a training session in the morning. She slept well that night, and rose early, all of her gear in tow as she hurried to the training grounds. They met and Sakura listened intently as Tenten outlined her training regime. Tenten's thorough, all business approach impressed Sakura. She sure knew what it was that she was talking about. Hand positioning and throwing technique were first on the list. The other girl's speech was heavy with angles and numbers, estimated wind resistance and other things that Sakura had never even considered. Technique demonstrations accompanied these dense explanations though, and Sakura found herself getting a grip pretty quickly.

Her training partner preached about the importance of weapons as an offensive defense. They were an extra shield between the enemy and you, and the longer you utilized them, the more the opponent was worn down. You yourself reserved your chakra stores and physical condition if you were able to block well. And that's what came next, blocking. Sakura had maintained a pretty good defensive stance as a Genin, but ever since the introduction of the super-strength technique of her mentor she had worried about her defense less and less. Tenten showed her up no less than twenty times in two minutes, and she was humiliated. If she ever faced someone with skills like Tenten on a mission she'd be dead in a few seconds. It wasn't her detection skills that were lacking, but rather her deflection skills. She could tell Tenten was coming, but was unable to wield her kunai in such a way as to turn the other girl's aside in time. Had it not been a training session, Sakura would have been riddled with holes.

Tips were forthcoming, and Sakura adjusted her technique and stance accordingly. It took a good hour before she really started to get the hang of it. She noticed the other girl smiling at her as she pumped a fist into the air as a gesture of victory.

"You're doing really well, but let it be known that I myself can't block everything. Hell, I doubt anyone can. Neji got me in the stomach good the other day."

The older girl said offhandedly, rubbing a hand over her midriff. Sakura sheathed her kunai,

"Let me see."

Tenten shook herself out of her reverie and bristled a bit,

"It's nothing."

"Please."

She used her firm clinic voice, reserved for when children fussed about injections and elderly people refused to take their pills. Tenten set her jaw and gritted out,

"Fine, but it's nothing, really."

Sakura smiled indulgently, and knelt before the older girl, sliding her shirt up over her toned abdomen. A massive purple bruise fringed with yellow was revealed. It was easily six inches in diameter and nearly covered the whole of the other girl's stomach. Sakura didn't gasp, or make a comment, she simply sent out tendrils of green chakra from the hand she'd set on the other girl. She accelerated the healing of the ruptured blood cells and eased off the swelling. The other girl gasped above her and groaned softly.

"He's a real bruiser. Maybe you should tell him to ease off?"

Sakura said as she stood, not noticing the barely there flush that stained Tenten's face and neck, who cleared her throat before replying,

"He wouldn't appreciate that. It's all or nothing with Neji."

Sakura just shrugged, it was ultimately up to the older girl. Her hand slid over to the handle of her kunai, ready to begin again when she heard Tenten say,

"But thank you."

Looking up she saw that the older girl's eyes were downcast. She reached out for the other girls hand and squeezed it gently, reassuringly. The moment stretched out and Tenten looked from their joined hands to Sakura's openly smiling face. A small smile ventured onto her own lips, and she squeezed back, feeling her heart jolt strongly in her chest. Then she slid her hand from the other girls grip and continued with the training session, silently vowing that that wouldn't happen again.

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**And there you go, guys. The next update should be up on Monday. Sorry about spacing the updates out even more but like I said, the story is expanding unexpectedly. **

**Thanks for taking the time to read!**

**OmniXx.  
**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello again, it is I. Here's the next update, a little later than planned. Thank you **JuugosGrrrl15‏ **for your invaluable feedback. I'd have run this by you first, but I'm was not sure how long it would be before we were able to speak again. **

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"Stupid, stupid, stupid!"

Tenten cursed herself as she stormed into her apartment, slamming the door shut behind her.

"I promised I wouldn't fall for that!"she said, her head falling into her hands.

With a growl she pushed off the door she had collapsed against and prowled over to the shower, muttering expletives under her breath. She had been someone strong until recently. It was almost as if she had been converted back to the unsure, scared little girl she had been at five. When she had begun to learn the way of the ninja, initially the importance of fellowship and loyalty was pressed, and she felt more complete around the other children than she did by herself. Of course, she had been a lonely girl then, not content with herself or her life and for the most part, alone. As she grew, she grew to rely on her team mates and soon their bond albeit a curious one, was strong.

Recently though, the more she thought about it, the more other people in her life appeared to be crutch she had leant upon in times of need, and she recoiled at the idea. It became an personal mission of hers to build upon herself as a person. She would become a strong individual, carry her own burden, fight her own battles and become what all shinobi were meant to be, a tool. In the present however it was becoming apparent that she simply couldn't become mindless. As she scrubbed at her skin harshly she let her anger and frustration mellow, taking deep breaths. Her heartbeat resounded in her ears and she could feel the thud of it in her chest. This wasn't even the beginning of her relapse into humanity, this was something else entirely. The will of the other girl affected her, and it wasn't as if Sakura was unpleasant to be around, quite the opposite in fact. Tenten found her to be a good balance of playful and serious, and an attentive student. The image of Sakura at the door of her family home floated to the fore of her thoughts. Finally she sighed in resignation.

There was no reason why she should rebuff Sakura in any manner, or not train her to the best of her ability. It was time to open up again, and put her faith in the fellowship of man. She'd have to start hanging out with Lee and Neji more, outside of training. Smiling fondly at the thought of her two team-mates, she towelled her hair dry before pulling on her night shirt. She cut a supple feminine silhouette, soft candle light pooling at her back and spilling over her onto the wall she faced. With a wave of her hand the candle was extinguished and Tenten sighed softly, her breath whispering over the sheets for a moment before falling silent.

The next week was full of training sessions, small missions and snatched hours of rest in between. When the weekend finally rolled around Tenten was having a little trouble keeping alert. She and Sakura were training once again on a clear Saturday morning, using the forest as a practice area. Tenten would throw volleys of kunai and shuriken and Sakura would use the trees around them to dodge behind before launching a counter attack. Even though she was tired, Tenten had still managed to pick up that there was something off with the other girl. When she dodged, she did it well. That aspect of her training was coming along fine, but today Tenten found that her attacks were less than enthusiastic. As she prepared for the other girl to attack a plan formed in her mind and as Sakura leaped almost predictably out of the top of a nearby tree, Tenten put it into action.

Sakura was bearing down on her hard and fast, a super-strength fist poised to strike. Tenten bought up the hand parallel to Sakura's and gripped the inside of the other girl's wrist as it flicked past her. Turning swiftly into the other girl she pulled her flush against her back for a brief second before reinforcing her grip with her other hand and tossing the other girl over her head using the captured arm as a lever. There was a tremendous thud as Sakura landed on her back. Blinking slowly she focused on Tenten who was now down on one knee with a Kunai to her throat. She was breathing quickly and was aware of the press of the sharp blade on her neck each time she drew a breath. Looking up into Tenten's eyes, Sakura remained silent. Soon Tenten found her expression softening as the pain in the other girl's eyes became apparent.

"What happened Sakura?" She asked softly, pulling the kunai away and sheathing it.

Slowly, very slowly the younger girls breathing evened out.

"I,.. I was on duty last night, at the hospital."

Tenten nodded and reached down absently to smooth sakura's hair away from her eyes.

"And I botched an operation."

She let out a long unsteady breath, looking away from Tenten. Tears were slicking down her cheeks now, and she sniffed a little. Bringing a hand up she rubbed away her tears before Tenten could react.

Sympathy flared in Tenten's chest, and she gathered the other girl up and hugged her close.

"It's ok. Everyone makes mistakes Sakura. I'm sure you did everything you could."

A meek sniffle from underneath her chin let Tenten know the younger girl had heard her.

"Have you talked with anyone else about it?"

She felt Sakura shake her head against her shoulder.

"It certainly isn't something you want to keep to yourself. You'd probably try to end up placing the blame on your own shoulders when no one's really to blame."

By this time Tenten was rubbing soft broad circles onto Sakura's back with her hand.

"If you need to, you can talk to me, ok?"

A question answered by another meek nod against her shoulder and more sniffling. Tenten squeezed Sakura tighter. Of course she'd never thought of the reality of Sakura's situation. Yes, she had the power to heal, save lives and give second chances, but there was always a chance that things were beyond her ability to heal. For the past few months she had been feeling a little bitter towards the other girl, but the confession she had just made revealed her to be a scared young woman, with a huge responsibility to others.

"S'ok."

She murmured softly, now rocking the other girl, suddenly feeling maternal.

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**And there you go. Cheers everyone!**

**OmniXx.  
**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hello once more. Here's the next update. I apologise for it being so very late, I was waiting on something, but decided to go ahead anyway. Don't be afraid to tell me what you think!**

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Sakura had been embarrassed by her lapse of emotional control in front of the weapons mistress, and she chose not to mention it as they continued with her training. Thankfully, and to her credit, Tenten had picked up on Sakura's reluctance and refrained from bringing it up. Tsunade was taking up a lot of time with training, too and she found that she had to cancel on Tenten more than once. The older girl didn't seem to miss a beat though, and they always managed to pick up where they left off. It seemed that she had perked up recently, becoming more cheerful and boisterous as time passed. It was like there was some unspoken trust and friendship between them now, and Sakura was glad as Naruto was frequently away on long missions.

She tried not to think of her mistakes often, and when she did it was only to reflect on what she simply would not do next time. On one such occasion, a few weeks after her 'episode' as she called it, she went a little too deep into her retrospection and hit a soft spot in her psyche. She set off to Tenten's at a tremendously fast pace, her tears almost blinding her on several occasions. No thought was spared for wondering if Tenten was actually home or not. Sakura rapped on the door sharply, craving a hug and a few comforting words. The door swung open and without much thought she collapsed forward into the other girl's arms. Tenten stumbled back under the unexpected weight but soon adjusted and shut the door after half dragging the other girl inside.

Soon they were seated on the couch. Well, Tenten was seated; Sakura was sprawled over her, crying softly into her shirt. Again the older girl's hands were tracing soothing patterns on the younger ones back. This time Tenten didn't speak, she just kept her hands moving, occasionally humming a soft lullaby in her throat. It took almost half an hour, but Sakura eventually calmed down enough to look up. Their eyes met and Sakura felt herself yield to the gentle affection that wrinkled the older girls face and softened her eyes. Her heart trembled in her chest and she leaned up a little, in rapt fascination. It was a very drawn out thing, and if felt like she had to travel miles just to press her lips to the corner of the other girl's. Tenten herself stayed very still watching the way Sakura's cool green eyes shimmered in the candle light. The kiss itself she felt as a burning, tingling sensation that shot through her. Their eyes remained open and they stared at one another even after Sakura withdrew. Silence enveloped them and Sakura continued to watch as Tenten watched her. Their breathing became a curious background noise, rasping along underneath the pregnant silence that had fallen around them. She had a feeling Tenten could have stared all night, her watchful brown eyes wide and liquid in the low light. That prompted Sakura to break away from the other's gaze, and nestle her head into Tenten's shoulder once again. She fell asleep like that, listening to the slow rhythm of the older girls heart beat, alternating with her breathing.

In the morning she woke by herself on the couch, to the sound of water boiling on a stove. Much like Tenten had not brought up her 'episode', it seemed she was not going to bring up last night. Sakura wasn't sure how she felt about that. They ate Breakfast in relative silence and afterwards as the older girl gathered up the dishes, she offered the shower to Sakura. She took the offer, not quite knowing what to do with herself. The hot shower did help her feel better though, and by the time she got out she had decided she wouldn't mention it either, in case it upset the other girl. From there things seemed to return to relative normalcy. They set out for training as per usual, and got all that Tenten desired to do, done. Sakura was happy to see that smile again, after last night which had been all silence and straight-faces.

The problem was now, as time passed, Sakura began to notice little things that distracted her from her training. Things such as the wonderful sheen of sweat that Tenten would work up after a few hours of training, and the way her smile sent Sakura's stomach into a flurry of back flips. There was a small part of Sakura that had an inkling of just what was going on, but the rest of her adamantly shook off the possibility, choosing instead to chalk it up to turbulent emotions and Tenten being there in her time of need. And of course, this had something to do with what was actually happening, but it wasn't the entirety of it.

And it wasn't just her training with Tenten that was suffering. Sometimes she'd zone out when she was training with Tsunade, and when she was at the hospital. This was not only stupid, but dangerous too, and Sakura really had to do something about it. This led to a strange sort of truce with herself. She'd only let herself become distracted when she was at home, by herself. Inner Sakura was completely up in arms over the whole situation, trying to force Sakura's hand at every turn. Her inner self, for one, had embraced the new light in which she saw the weapons mistress. As often as Sakura trampled down her volatile inner being, in this instance it would simply not stay down. That's why she had a fairly sound theory as to why she'd begun to have 'unusual' dreams.

Now Sakura had to stop the thoughts of last night's dream as well as focus on the task at hand. It was beginning to get to her. This whole time she noticed Tenten had remained steadfast in her role as trainer and teacher, and Sakura had not come to her once since that last night. If her concentration kept going the way it was, she'd have to forcibly stop herself from fleeing to Tenten for comfort after another failed operation. It was plain unprofessional.

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**And there you go. Next update: how's Tenten dealing with this?**

**OmniXx.  
**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hello again. Nearly done. Thank you to those who have read/left reviews. Feedback is appreciated. Again, for anyone looking to take up this challenge, see the first chapter for the parameters and contact details. Cheers, Omni.**

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Tenten had simply stared down at the younger girl, who probably didn't notice that her own lips were trembling. It seemed like a long time before the other girl looked away and pushed her face back into Tenten's shoulder again, but it was probably less than a minute. Very carefully she bought a hand up to her lips, fingertips pressing onto where the kiss had landed. She could almost feel her brain smoking, as all the cogs caught against one another and would no longer turn. By the time she realized Sakura was asleep almost an hour had passed. She very carefully lifted Sakura and extricated herself from underneath the younger girl, dreading waking her for fear of what she'd say. After draping a blanket over the other girl, and smiling at the way her mussed pink hair splayed over the pillow Tenten made her way over to her futon.

She woke in the morning, afraid of just what could happen. Sure, she'd wanted to reach out again, get back in contact with people, but was she ready for what Sakura had hinted at last night? Or was that just a strange show of appreciation for her concern? She wasn't sure what to think. Her reaction was to cook breakfast. It was something that seemed to calm her down, the preparation of food. By the time Sakura ambled into the kitchen Tenten had achieved a state of calm and was able to look and speak to the other girl as she would have before, even thought her feelings were beginning to change.

Things continued in that vein for a couple of months, and Tenten watched as Sakura steadily improved, albeit with a few hiccups along the way. She consciously avoided any overly personal interaction with her younger charge, and it was beginning to wear at her. There were nights when she'd come home from a mission and collapse on the couch, only to remember the other girl cuddled up to her, kissing the corner of her lips. And she would sigh. If Sakura hadn't said anything by now, should she? Sure, the other girl seemed a little distracted now days and Tenten would sometimes catch her staring, but maybe that was just for fear that Tenten would reprimand her for her mistake.

"A mistake?"

Tenten asked aloud, to no one in particular,

"Was that really all it was?"

She didn't want to believe it, not when it had become such an important memory for her. Once again her fingers ghosted over her lips, this time pressing back a sigh. She remembered the trepidation she had felt upon seeing Sakura at her door, with her request for training. It was fair enough at the time, she had been slowly but surely isolating herself. How could she have known what would come of it all when she'd agreed to train the other girl?

It's not as if two Kunoichi together like that was unheard of. Sure no one would be thrilled, but they'd just get on with it. Every ninja knew that they would take leisure in whatever form, and for a Shinobi, a relationship and the closeness it afforded was somewhat of a luxury in tense times. As long as feelings didn't get in the way of completing a mission, ninja could accept most every quirk that came along with their teammates and afterwards go home to indulge their own.

Still, it wasn't unusual for relationships between ninja to go awry, and it could get messy quickly. Tenten winced at some of the things she'd heard, and seen. She wouldn't wish any of it on anyone.

"Gah!"

she shouted, fisting her hands in her hair and tugging at it in her frustration. Why did it have to be so stupidly confusing? Everything else about being a ninja was written down to be learned, or taught by other ninja. Maybe they were really supposed to be alone in the end. It made the most sense.

That didn't really help her decide anything much, except for that she'd continue to say nothing of it, but ease up on the trainer façade she'd been putting on. Maybe Sakura had been only showing appreciation, or didn't really consider it to be that big of a deal and had been upset by her own change in demeanor. Besides, Tenten had never really been a relationship kind of girl, and she was sure she could go on like that. At least, she hoped that was the case.

"_I am too busy to have friends  
A lover would just complicate my plans…_

_I bet I could last at least a week without someone to hold me  
I bet I could last at least a week without someone to hold me  
Won't you hold me?  
Won't you hold me?  
Won't you hold me?_"

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**The italics are lyrics from a Dresden Dolls song called First Orgasm. Heh. Sorry. Hope I didn't offend anyone with that. But regardless, the part of the song I've included struck me as appropriate. **

**Thanks for reading and leave me a comment if you feel so inclined. **

**Also, if you've ever played Crono Trigger and want to nerd out with me over how it's been released on DS, please feel free. I love how they're brining out all the old school games, like the early Final Fantisies. =]**

**Omni.  
**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hello! I'm afraid that I've been rather slack, but what's new, honestly? Here's the final chapter of this challenge fic. A bit unsatisfactory if you ask me, but one is ones own harshest critic, no?**

**Anyway, I'm glad I've finished something on here, so hurray! Please enjoy.  
**

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Nothing really changed over the course of the next few months, Sakura noticed. Their training sessions would soon come to an end, as Tenten was running out of things to teach her. This made her worry, but at the same time she felt relief. While they had managed to get back to the sort of genial relationship they had at the beginning, there was still an obvious awkwardness in the way they interacted. Thankfully Sakura had managed to avoid any accidents at the hospital, and she made sure to spend a lot of time with Naruto when he was in town, to get her allotment of laughs. She was hoping against hope that as soon as the training sessions finished up things would go back to the way they had been. That would mean significantly fewer distractions at work, more sleep and less thinking about her feelings.

What she tried not to think of was that it would also mean she wouldn't see Tenten nearly as much. She'd really grown to admire the other girl, all 'strange' thoughts aside. Tenten had inner drive that became evident when she was demonstrating techniques and training. Her eyes would gleam and she'd take any mistakes in her stride, striving to improve a little more each time she practiced a technique. Whenever Sakura herself made a mistake in training, Tenten would call out encouragements and she'd find it almost irresistible to try again, just to show the older girl she could do better. They had an admiration for Tsunade in common, finding the older woman and the position she held inspiring and empowering.

In the afternoon she sent an elderly woman to the herbalist for a poultice and was watching her hobble out of the office when a thought struck her. That could easily be her, eighty years old, having lived as full a life as she'd always envisioned, but still wondering about what had happened between her and Tenten, if anything. She didn't want to be left wonder about the 'what ifs', no matter what.

The next morning the rising sun found the pair training as usual. Sakura made eye contact as often as she could, flashing small smiles at a bewildered Tenten as they sparred. This went on for some time before Tenten blocked an incoming swipe of Sakura's and locked her arm out,

"Ok, what's up with you?"

The younger girl looked at her searchingly, praying for her to understand what she was getting at. She simply couldn't bring herself to say it. Tenten just looked back and after a while she shrugged before letting the other girl go

"Please, train seriously."

Before long they were back into a rhythm, and Sakura watched the older girls face intently looking for any sign at all. Something that would let her feel like it was ok, that what she was feeling wasn't going to force the other girl into an awkward position. Then she saw it, a glitch if you will. Tenten had parried a kick of hers and was moving in to trip her when her hand slipped up along Sakura's thigh. A curious tingling radiated up her leg and Sakura felt warmth radiate from where the older girl had touched. What gave the other girl away was the blush on her cheeks as she yanked her hand away as if it had been burnt. That and the way she wet her lips with her tongue before swallowing loudly.

'Gotcha.'

Sakura looked up at the other girl as she grasped her hand, tugging her in close. Tenten overbalanced and fell into Sakura, their lips coming together in a soft, chaste kiss. It was wonderfully sweet, the jolt of the contact resonating in Sakura's heart as the kiss continued. It seemed natural then to throw her arms around Tenten's neck, pulling her even closer and almost laughing in delight as she felt the other girl encircle her waist with her own arms.

This was it. Sakura hadn't thought to look here for whatever it was she was looking for. But she felt she had found it in the warm embrace of the other woman, and that's when she realised it. There truly wasn't anything she needed. All she could do was live for the moment. And right at that very moment, living for this soft, sweet kiss and firm embrace certainly seemed like a good idea. 'Hot damn!' inner Sakura cheered enthusiastically. The nails that were trailing along her sides didn't hurt things.

"Guess we're just going to have to play this by ear."

She heard the older girl murmur into her hair after they broke apart.

"And I guess you'll have to come and meet my parents. How do you like lamb?"

Sakura giggled at the shocked but happy look on Tenten's face. Definitely worth it. She sealed the deal with a searing kiss and broke away smiling, looking into soft brown eyes that glowed with adoration.

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**And there you have it, my first ever completed story! I have so many ideas, but I don't know what to do with any of them! I need to work on my planning. Anyway. Let me have it, sock it to me and all that jazz.**

**Until next time!**

**Omnixx.  
**


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